The present invention relates to window regulator mechanisms. More particularly the present invention relates to a window regulator mechanism which reduces or eliminate vibrations which occur when a motor vehicle door is forcibly closed.
Conventional window regulator mechanisms comprise a slider member slidably mounted on a guide rail member and a lifter plate engaged with the window panel and attached to the slider member. An actuating mechanism in the form of an electric motor or a crank handle retracts one of a pair of wires attached to the slider member so as to slidably move the slider member along the guide rail member and raise or lower the window panel with respect to the vehicle door. Oftentimes, during assembly or over an extended period of usage, these components may become misaligned within the vehicle door. As a result, it is desirable to provide some free play between the guide rail member and the slider member in order to compensate for such misalignments and any other irregularities which may otherwise occur. Typically, conventional window regulator mechanisms permit rotational free play and free play in both the inboard/outboard and the fore/aft directions of the vehicle.
One problem associated with providing such free play in the conventional manner occurs when the vehicle door is forcibly shut or slammed. When the vehicle door is forcibly shut, the free play permitted between the guide rail member and the slider body results in vibrations and vibratory noise which lasts for a short period of time thereafter. One way to reduce these vibrations is to pinch the guide rail and slider member close together and eliminate the free play. This, however, does not allow for any misalignment or irregularities of the mechanism components and also increases the amount of operating effort required to raise and lower the window panel.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a window regulator mechanism which utilizes a limited amount of free play in order to correct any misalignments between the components thereof while at the same time eliminating or minimizing the vibrations which occurs as a result of movement of the slider member and guide rail member after the vehicle door has been forcibly closed.
The present invention is a window regulator mechanism for vertically moving a window panel mounted within a motor vehicle door. The mechanism comprises an elongated guide rail member mounted within the vehicle door and extending longitudinally in a vertical direction. The guide rail member has a base portion with a pair of side flange portions extending longitudinally along opposing sides thereof to define a guide rail channel therebetween. A first of the pair of side flange portions has a nose portion extending laterally outwardly therefrom. A second of the pair of side flange portions has a laterally outwardly facing convex exterior surface.
A window moving structure engages the window panel. The window moving structure has a base member and a pair of side leg portions extending from opposing sides thereof to define a window moving structure channel therebetween. One of the side leg portions has a nose-receiving groove formed in an inwardly facing surface thereof. The window moving structure is slidably mounted on the guide rail member to allow the window panel to be moved vertically with respect to the vehicle door.
A manually operable actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to slidably move the window moving structure vertically along the guide rail member so that the window panel is moved vertically with respect to the vehicle door in response to manual operation. The nose portion of the guide rail member is received within the nose-receiving groove of the window moving structure and the convex exterior surface of the guide rail member is slidably engaged with an inwardly facing surface of another of the side leg portions of the window moving structure opposite the nose-receiving groove such that (1) relative pivotal movement between the guide rail member and the window moving structure about a fixed pivot axis extending longitudinally through the nose portion is permitted and (2) relative movement between the guide rail member and the window moving structure in a radial direction with respect to the fixed pivot axis is substantially restricted to thereby reduce vibrations which occur as a result of forcibly moving the vehicle door into closing engagement with a motor vehicle body.
Another aspect of the present invention is a window regulator mechanism for vertically moving a window panel mounted within a motor vehicle door. The mechanism comprises an elongated guide rail member mounted within the vehicle door and extending longitudinally in a vertical direction. The guide rail member has a base portion with a pair of side flange portions extending longitudinally along opposing sides thereof to define a guide rail channel therebetween.
A window moving structure engages the window panel. The window moving structure has a base member and a pair of side leg portions extending from opposing sides thereof to define a window moving structure channel therebetween. The window moving structure is slidably mounted on the guide rail member to allow the window panel to be moved vertically with respect to the vehicle door. A manually operable actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to slidably move the window moving structure vertically along the guide rail member so that the window panel is moved vertically with respect to the vehicle door in response to manual operation. The guide rail member is slidably mounted on the window moving structure such that (1) relative pivotal movement between the guide rail member and the window moving structure about a fixed pivot axis extending longitudinally through the guide rail member is permitted and (2) relative movement between the guide rail member and the window moving structure in a radial direction with respect to the fixed pivot axis is substantially restricted to thereby reduce vibrations which occur as a result of forcibly moving the vehicle door into closing engagement with a motor vehicle body.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for guidably mounting a motor vehicle window panel for vertical movement. The assembly basically comprises the elongated guide rail member and window moving structure as discussed above.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the method of operation and function of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of the parts and economics of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.